Les Enfants de l'ABC
by AnimeWolf101
Summary: The boys of Les Amis de l'ABC risked their lives to change the future of France. But what if they had left behind more than just a legacy? The children of l'ABC have gathered, and the daughter of Enjolras has been chosen to lead the new French Revolution. Set during the 1848 Third French Revolution.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hey guys! So, if you hadn't guessed already, I absolutely adore musicals, especially Les Miserables. This morning, I had a strange idea, and well...here is the basis of it. Read it over and tell me what you think. Enjoy! Oh, and I don't own Les Mis.  
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Prologue

It was a calm, starry night within the walls of Paris. However, it seemed to be too quiet for those who were prepared to risk their lives for the sake of freedom.

Among them was young Enjolras. His mind wandered as he ceaselessly paced back and forth in his room, eager to go out and fight, but forcing himself to be patient as he thought through his plans one last time.

A knock on the door pulled him away from such thoughts.

"Who is it?" he asked, his voice obviously weary from the lack of sleep.

The door cautiously creaked open as a meek, black-haired girl poked her head into the room.

A wave of relief rushed over Enjolras, and his expression became pleasant at the sight of his beloved.

"Marie…"

Marie smiled in reply as she closed the door behind her. She then pursed her lips and approached Enjolras, her eyes avoiding his, as if something urgent was on her mind.

Enjolras could sense this. "What's the matter, my love?" he asked, wrapping his strong arms around Marie's delicate frame. "You seem to be very worried."

"Of course I'm worried, _mon cher_," she replied, forcing her brown eyes to look up into his youthful green orbs. "You're going off into battle tomorrow…and I'm afraid that I might never see you again."

Enjolras couldn't help but pity the poor girl. Still, everything had been arranged, and it's too late to change his mind.

"True, we may never meet again," he said, kissing Marie's soft forehead. "But everything is for the best. We must fight back…for our children and for the future of France."

Marie anxiously bit her bottom lip, once again averting his gaze.

Enjolras furrowed his brow, suddenly concerned. "What is it?"

Marie silently debated with herself, but she figured that it was best to tell him now before he goes to sacrifice himself on the battlefield.

"Speaking of children," she began, but then drifted away as she took Enjolras' hands in hers and placed them just below her stomach.

At first, Enjolras was perplexed. He didn't know what to think of Marie's strange behavior.

He then felt the bump that pierced Marie's flat figure, and a lump caught in his throat at the sudden realization.

"Are you really…?"

Marie's lips slightly twitched as she nodded her head. "Yes, dear Enjolras… You're going to be a father."

The sudden news made Enjolras want to jump for joy, but at the same time, it filled his heart with pain and sorrow.

Marie could see the sadness flicker in her lover's beautiful features. "Well, what's wrong? Aren't you happy?"

Enjolras let out a deep-hearted sigh as she withdrew his hands and began pacing the floor again.

"I _am_ happy," he replied, pausing to look out the window. "But…it would have been better if you never told me."

Now it was Marie's turn to be confused. "Why not? Isn't this what you wanted for us? Is it not enough?"

"Of course it's enough," Enjolras replied, turning back to Marie. "But given the circumstances we're in right now…it's just not the right time. Maybe I will die tomorrow…and this sweet, innocent child of ours will grow up without a father."

Enjolras paused to look into Marie's eyes, radiating the pains and the sorrows that he held so deep within his soul. Marie's brown orbs soon reflected the same feelings that Enjolras had. Without a word, the two embraced each other for what seemed like an eternity.

"Come, it is late," Enjolras finally said, his eyes and voice growing tired once again. "We all need our sleep."

Marie could only smile and nod in agreement.

Enjolras smiled back and placed a loving kiss on her lips. "_Je t'aime, ma cherie_."

"_Et je t'aime aussi_, Enjolras…"

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**I'll have the next chapter up sometime soon after I plan out the plot a little bit more. Don't forget to review! =3**


	2. Birth of a New Revolution

**A/N: And now we finally get to the story! Sorry that it's short, but this is just something to set up the story, introduce a few important characters, and build things up. I shall post more once I have more time. So for now, please enjoy! =3 All I own are my OCs.**

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Chapter 1: Birth of a New Revolution

_February 1848 – 15 years and 8 months later_

The freezing cold did nothing for the people who walked the desolate streets of Paris. Even after the June Rebellion of 1832, life did not improve for the poor and the unemployed. Many of them still roamed the streets starving, begging for alms, and left for dead. Even small children were forced out into the street to beg, but most of them would never return home.

To Officer Jean-Pierre, it was a normal day in the slums. The young nineteen-year-old Inspector rode high and mighty atop his black horse, sweeping the streets to make sure that there was no trouble among the people. He would usually have to deal with a couple of feats a day, but today was exceptionally quiet.

And whenever it was quiet, trouble was brewing somewhere nearby.

Following his gut instincts, he turned his horse around the corner back into the busy streets of the city.

The buildings stood tall and proud within the capitol of France. The crowd was thick and full of people from every class, from the richest aristocrat to the poorest street rat. There was a never-ending wave of carriages and wagon that passed through the city, but other than that, no suspicious activity.

Then he heard the rising shouts and cries from down the brick street. He followed the sound of jumbled voices until he saw a large crowd in sight gathering in the middle of the street. It was mostly young boys making a ruckus from he could tell, but that didn't stop him from riding up beside them, blowing his whistle for good measure in order to break up the crowd.

"What is the meaning of this?" the officer shouted, gaining the attention of every man, woman, and child in the street. "Just what is going on here? Those responsible for this disturbance will have to answer to me, Inspector Jean-Pierre."

As he spoke, the crowd began to disperse. Most of the women quietly slipped away with the children while some of the men began to flee. Luckily for Jean-Pierre, more officers arrived on foot and managed to stop the fleeing men in their tracks.

"It is useless to escape," Jean-Pierre cried, his gray eyes scanning the crowd. "Those who have caused this must show themselves to me, or else thrown into a jail cell every one of you will be."

All went silent as eyes nervously shifted about. Just as the Inspector was about to lose his patience, two voices rose above the crowd.

"Down with the king!"

Jean-Pierre looked up and saw two boys, both not much younger than he, standing upon a platform with their fists held high and a determined expression on their faces.

_Ah, so here are the rebel rousers,_ Jean-Pierre thought with a smirk. "You two, identify yourselves," he commanded, moving his horse forward into the thinning crowd.

The two boys looked at each other than back at Jean-Pierre.

"_Bonjour, Monsieur_," the first boy greeted, his lips curled into a smirk and his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "I am called Francois. This is my friend Adrien."

The second boy, a blone-haired youth with brown eyes, bowed his head. "_Bonjour_."

Jean-Pierre stopped his horse in front of the platform where he got a better look at the two young men. "Tell me, gentlemen," he said. "Just what is the meaning of this gathering? What is the point of all this fuss?"

"What? This?" Francois said, gesturing to the crowd. "Oh, we didn't mean to cause a ruckus, _Monsieur_. We were only exercising our personal freedoms."

Jean-Pierre wasn't amused by the young man's laid-back tone. "You will explain yourself at once!"

Adrien stepped in. "Well, _Monsieur_, what else are we supposed to do now that banquet campaigning has been outlawed? The general public is not going to be very happy."

Again, Jean-Pierre made his disinterest in the subject clear in his eyes and in his voice. "That is no excuse to be disturbing the peace. Either you leave this square at once or I shall have to arrest you both."

Adrien let out a heavy sigh while Francois slightly shrugged. "Well, we tried our best," Francois said, placing a hand on Adrien's shoulder.

Adrien was about to agree when he noticed a flash of gold from the corner of his eye. He turned and saw none other than the carriage of the king of France.

It was a sight that made the rage he kept inside of him for so long boil over.

Suddenly losing control, Adrien pushed Francois aside, jumped from the platform, and ran for the carriage. Many other men quickly followed suit as they started throwing stones at the carriage and banging on the windows, shouting, "Down with the king! Vive la France!"

Jean-Pierre forgot about Francois at the moment and rushed at the crowd again with his horse.

Francois only sighed and rolled his eyes. "Seriously?" he said to himself. "Must we do this every time we go out?"

A light tap on his foot attracted his attention, and as he looked down, he couldn't help but smile at the familiar brown-haired and brown-eyes beauty.

"_Bonjour,_ Gabrielle," he greeted, jumping down from the platform.

"_Bonjour_, Francois," Gabrielle replied with a smile. "Let me guess… Adrien is getting himself into trouble again."

Francois let out a huff. "As always. You can never tell what's going through his mind until he decides to take action. Anyway, what news do you bring?"

Gabrielle's brown eyes quickly became serious. "Jean-Claude has found the Pontmercy residence and has made contact with young Marcus. Now he's searching for _her_."

Francois raised an eyebrow. "_Her_?"

Gabrielle playfully rolled her eyes. "You know…_her_. The one who will lead us, like Jean-Claude says."

Francois had to think back on the previous meetings with the eldest member of the group, though not much older than the rest of them. His eyes suddenly lit up at the sudden memory. "Ah, _oui_, _her_! But do you really think she would be willing to lead us? I mean…what makes _her_ so special?"

Gabrielle grinned mischievously. "If she is who Jean-Claude claims she is, then she has a leader's blood running through her veins," she replied ominously. "_She_ shall be the rightful leader of Les Enfants de l'ABC."

Francois slightly nodded. "I just hope that you're right," he replied, slightly smiling in return.

A sudden grasp at his arm shifted his attention once again, and saw that it was only Adrien who was beside him, completely out of breath.

"Let's get out of here," the blonde boy said. "It's best not to keep the others waiting."

Gabrielle and Francois exchanged a glance before silently agreeing with Adrien. Without a word, the three children of the revolutionaries made haste down the streets into the city back into the slums of which they called home.

Thanks to Jean-Claude, they were already one step closer to reaching their goal.


	3. The Bird Flies from the Nest

**A/N: W00T! Another chapter! Thanks for the follows, faves, and reviews so far. You have no idea how happy I am. =3 I really wish I could be this motivated to update my other stories, but this is a story that I truly treasure. Well, here you go! Hope you enjoy it! I only own my OCs.**

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Chapter 2: The Bird Flies from the Nest

Marie sighed as she washed up what little dishes she had. The afternoon sun streamed in through the dirty windows and laid itself upon the dusty table beside her, which was accompanied by two wooden chairs, all occupying the little space that made up the kitchen. As Marie set down the plates to prepare for dinner, there was a knock at the door. She paused anxiously, knowing full well that it wasn't her daughter coming home.

"Come in," she reluctantly said, continuing on with her business.

The thin wooden door swung open and then closed, followed by ominous footsteps that paced slowly along the wooden floor. Marie didn't turn her head to see who the visitor was, but when the footsteps stopped, she felt the need to pause again.

"It's been a while, _Mademoiselle_," a familiar deep voice said.

Marie then felt a reason to be afraid as she slowly turned around, her pulse quickening and her brown eyes betraying her curiosity.

Her visitor was one whom she knew, a university student currently living with family on the other side of town. He stood a few feet taller than her, and his navy blue overcoat did little to compliment his strong build. He had a pleasant expression, and Marie was instantly reminded of the face of the boy's father.

"_Bonjour_, Jean-Claude," she finally replied, wiping her hands on her dirty apron. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Jean-Claude wasted no time in getting straight to the point. "Is Lucille home?"

Marie could taste the bile rising in her throat. She knew that this day would come, but she had also feared that it would come too soon.

It was just not the right time.

"No," Marie replied, trying to retain her composure. "She's at the market…but I expect her to be home soon."

Jean-Claude only nodded as she turned his attention to the small bookshelf standing in the corner of the kitchen next to the table. It was also dusty and had very few books piled on it. Instead, there were many papers and letters that lined the shelves. He let out a soft sigh at the pitiful sight before sitting himself down in one of the chairs.

Snapping herself back into reality, Marie resumed with her work setting up the table and cleaning the silverware.

"Why are you here, Jean-Claude?" She already knew the answer to that question, but she wanted to hear it from the young man himself.

His gaze shifted, his hazel eyes burning into Marie's back. "Are you aware of the changes that are happening in France?"

"Yes, I am very aware," Marie quickly replied, working rapidly in order to distract herself.

Jean-Claude let out a heavy, deep-hearted sigh. "I think it's about time that Lucille is introduced to our cause. Now that our method of campaigning has been struck down by the king, the people are revolting. We need a true leader who can rally the people and help change France for the better."

Marie was suddenly reminded of the events of that dreadful day so many years ago. Her mind was so far away, she didn't even notice the fork slipping from her fingers.

"How many are there?" she heard herself ask.

"There are eight of us gathered, including myself, the son of Legsle," Jean-Claude replied.

"Who are they?"

He paused a moment, not exactly sure where Marie was going with this conversation. "They are Francois, the son of Courfeyrac; Adrien, son of Combeferre; Vincent, son of Grantaire, Gabrielle, daughter of Jean-Prouvaire; Isabelle, daughter of Joly; Catherine, daughter of Bahorel; and lastly, Emilie, daughter of Feuilly."

Marie remained silent, taking in the names of all of the young revolutionaries and putting them to faces of the men who died that unfortunate June night.

"There are only two more left who will complete the group once more: Marcus, son of Marius Pontmercy, and your daughter, Lucille, daughter of Enjolras." Jean-Claude slightly smiled as he added, "I'm sure that without a doubt she has her father's spirit."

Marie was silent still, unable to process the fact that Jean-Claude had been the one planning this all along. She would not to let herself give in to this madness, nor would she permit Luci to leave with him to risk her life for the false hope of freedom.

Jean-Claude was not comfortable with Marie's long pause. "She does know about her father…doesn't she?"

Marie's face grew hot, and her eyes stung with the tears that threatened to spill over. Just as she thought her knees were no longer able to support her, she heard the door open again.

"Mama, I'm home!"

Marie sighed with relief. Thank her lucky stars, it was her dear Luci.

"Luci!" Marie greeted, turning to face her daughter. "Did you get everything that I asked you to get?"

"_Oui_, Mama," Luci replied, setting a paper bag filled to the brim on the little counter beside her mother.

The girl's attention then went to Jean-Claude. Her forest-green eyes met his hazel orbs, and, indeed, her truly saw Enjolras within her. He couldn't help but smile a little.

"_Bonjour_, Lucille," he greeted. "I am Jean-Claude."

"_Bonjour, Monsieur_," she replied, slightly bowing her head.

Jean-Claude was already impressed with her manners. Before he could say anything more, Marie rudely interrupted him.

"Luci, go wait in your room," she said as she unpacked the food.

Luci turned to her mother, slightly confused. "Why?"

"No more questions, please. Go upstairs."

"She deserves to know," Jean-Claude intervened, casting a suspicious glare at Marie.

Marie only glared right back at him. "No, she doesn't," she retorted. "She is too young and I'm not going to lose her the way I lost _him_."

"Mama, what's going on?" Luci asked, her curiosity growing alongside her frustration.

Marie let out a sigh. "It's nothing,_ ma petite fille_. Now go up to your room."

Jean-Claude was beginning to lose his patience. "She deserves an explanation of why she has no father."

Marie was also on the brink of losing her temper. "There will be no more mentioning of her father in this house, do you hear me?"

"But the people-"

"I don't care, Jean-Claude! You are not taking my daughter away from me and that is final!"

"Mama, stop it!" Luci cried, putting herself in between her mother and Jean-Claude. "I am no longer a child! I'm fifteen now, and I think I can make my own decisions. Don't you trust me, Mama?"

Marie looked down upon her child as she could no longer hold back the tears. They came streaming down her face like raindrops as she knelt down in front of Luci.

"Of course I trust you," she replied, forcing a smile. "It's just that…what your father did was very dangerous…and in the end…" Unable to take anymore, she got back up and ran out of the room, leaving Luci and Jean-Claude alone in the kitchen.

Jean-Claude felt himself relax as he sat back down in his chair by the table. Luci looked at him in confusion, but then sighed as she took her place in the other chair, ready to hear what the young man had to say.

"How much to you know about your father?" he asked.

Luci thought long and hard on her fifteen years of living. Only a few times did she ever briefly hear her mother talk about her father, but it always ended with her on her knees and crying her heart out. Luci never did quite understand…at least until now.

"All I know…is that he was brave, smart, and passionate. He loved France…but he died very young."

Jean-Claude bowed his head and crossed himself. "Yes, he was a brave soul. And may he forever continue to rest in peace."

A question popped into Luci's head. "Did you know my father?"

Jean-Claude looked back up at her with a slight smile. "I didn't…but my father did. My mother used to tell me stories about _Les Amis de l'ABC_ and of the June Rebellion. Indeed, it was a fine time for those young at heart…but, as you now know, freedom comes at a price. Your father and mine, alongside many others, paid with the ultimate sacrifice."

_So that was why Mama was always crying…_ But then she thought back to the people begging on the streets. "Not much has changed since then…has it?"

Jean-Claude sadly shook his head. "Which is why we need you, Luci. Another rebellion is on the horizon, and you, the daughter of Enjolras, are destined to lead it alongside the other children of the ABC."

Luci's eyes went wide. "There are more?"

Jean-Claude nodded. "_Oui._ Including myself, there are nine of us. Join us, Luci, and together we can build a better France for future generations, just like our fathers did before us."

Luci could finally see a light at the end of the tunnel – a way out from this desolate place and see all of France in its splendor. But before she could say yes, she turned her eyes to see her mother standing in the doorway. Marie's face was red, and her eyes pink and swollen. She appeared to be calm, but her strained face warned of another on-coming breakdown.

Luci pursed her lips as she stood up to meet her mother. "I now know what I must do," she simply said. "This is my destiny, Mama, and it's pointless to evade it. I'm not blind to the troubles of the people. I completely understand the cause of the misery that is all around us. Mother, please! Just let me go. Let me go and fulfill the duties of my father…the duties of a man you loved so dearly."

Marie could feel her body shaking uncontrollably, so shocked and amazed to hear her own daughter say those words. She forced another smile as she slowly wrapped her arms around Luci, her small fingers brushing through her daughter's shiny auburn hair.

"You really are your father's daughter," she whispered, kissing Luci's cheek.

Jean-Claude looked out the window and became surprised at how much time had passed. As the sun was beginning to disappear behind the tall apartments, he stood up from his chair and brushed a hand through his black hair.

"We must take our leave," he said with an apologetic expression. "The other children have already gathered. It's best to not keep them waiting."

Marie held onto her child for a little while longer before permitting herself to let her baby go.

"You promise me that you will come back home to me…alive."

Luci hastily nodded. "Don't worry, Mama, I will return. I promise."

Marie and Luci exchanged smiles. As Luci ran up the stairs to her room, Marie looked at Jean-Claude with a menacing eye.

"I place all of my trust in you. You must take care of her. If I find out that she is dead, I swear by God that will hunt you and your little gang down and tear you apart limb from limb! I will not lose another loved one again. Is that understood?"

Jean-Claude only raised an eyebrow, used to the petty threats. "No need to worry, dear Marie. Your daughter is in good hands. The spirit of her father is watching over her as we speak."

At this, Marie could only smile.

Well before nightfall, Jean-Claude left Marie's home along with Luci.

_And now,_ Jean-Claude thought as he walked through the bleak streets of Paris, _we have come into full circle. If what my mother said was true…then Lucille will bring us to victory._


	4. The Gathering

**A/N: Couldn't resist posting another chapter tonight since I'm really in the mood for writing like crazy. Anyway, thanks for the additional reviews, and to answer some of them: 1. I kind of have a thing with working with a lot of characters. I feel like the more characters I have, the more I can focus on a few at a time for each chapter. If I only had the same few characters, it would eventually became boring for me. And trust me, it's no fun. And 2. Eponine has a small part in this story, but she does set a sort of example for Les Enfants. She's more like a role model, per se.**

**Anywho, enough ranbling. Enjoy the chapter. =3**

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Chapter 3: The Gathering

By the time the sun had nearly set, almost everyone was gathered at their usual meeting place, best known as none other than Le Café Musain.

After the June Rebellion and the dead were buried in the cemetery, those who lived near the café poured everything they had into rebuilding and refurnishing it. Within a few years, it looked as good as new, and with new furniture placed on all of the floors, it was returned to its former glory before it was destroyed by the battle.

It only seemed fitting for the new Amis de l'ABC to meet at the new Café Musain.

Gabrielle, Isabelle, and Francois sat patiently at the table on the second floor for the new arrivals. Isabelle seemed to be very anxious, furiously rubbing her hands together. Noticing this, Gabrielle took Isabelle's hands and clashed them tightly, as if releasing her own anxieties.

Adrien, Catherine, and Emilie stood together against the window, talking amongst themselves and watching for Jean-Claude's familiar figure to walk up the street.

Vincent was alone as he paced back and forth next to the winery, running his hand through his curly black hair. He didn't like the idea of waiting here for someone whom they have never met. He didn't even like the idea of standing around and doing nothing while more people are wandering the streets by the hour. Being the eldest in the room at the moment, he felt the need to just call off the meeting and send everyone home.

"Quit your pacing, Vincent," Adrien blurted out from across the room. "You're making me nervous."

Vincent glared at the blonde boy. "Well, unlike you, I hate standing around. And it's you who's making me nervous with your constant chatter. I can't even hear my own thoughts!"

Adrien was about to make a retort when Emilie pointed at the window. "Look! It's Jean-Claude! And he has _her_ with him!"

Vincent and the others crowded around the window to see for themselves. Sure enough, the tall, muscular figure of Jean-Claude came into view with a scrawny, young girl beside him. Vincent wrinkled his nose in disapproval.

"What? Don't like her already?" Francois asked casually. "Lighten up. I'm sure her personality is not as bleak as her clothing."

"It's not her clothes I'm worried about," Vincent mumbled, crossing his arms.

A few seconds later, Jean-Claude and the young girl came up the stairs into the room. The elder man had an air of confidence about him, believing that he was successful in his mission. However, the girl was the complete opposite. Her shyness gave herself away as she hid her eyes underneath her long, auburn hair. Most of the group regarded her in complete awe.

Vincent, however, was not impressed.

"Friends," Jean-Claude greeted, his deep voice ringing in the air. "I have brought you the one who is destined to lead us in the upcoming revolution. I bring you the daughter of fair Enjolras. She is called Lucille."

"Lucille," Isabelle whispered, a smile spreading on her small face. "What a pretty name."

"For once, I agree with Isabelle," Francois said with a smirk. He was the first to approach shy Luci. "Greetings. My name is Francois." He took her hand and lightly kissed it. "But you can call me whatever you like."

Adrien rolled his eyes and pushed Francois aside. "Save it for later, Romeo. Uh, don't mind him, miss. He's always been a flirt…much like his father." He glared at Francois before continuing. "I am Adrien. Welcome to our little corner of paradise."

Luci looked up into Adrien's brown eyes and let out a small smile. "_Enchante_," she meekly replied with a small curtsy.

Adrien smiled back and also kissed Luci's hand.

Gabrielle couldn't help but giggle a little at the sight. "Oh, you boys are adorable," he said as she walked to beside Luci. "_Bonjour_! I'm Gabrielle! You have no idea how honored I am to finally meet you!"

Luci's smile disappeared. "Wait…you've been waiting for me?"

"Well, of course!" Gabrielle replied. "Jean-Claude told us that you would come!"

Slightly shocked, Luci glanced back at Jean-Claude before turning back to three more girls waiting to meet her.

"Welcome, Lucille," greeted a blonde girl with blue eyes. "I'm Catherine. If you ever need any help with anything, I'm always here to help."

"And she's a great dressmaker," another brow-haired girl chirped, her light green eyes sparkling. "I'm Emilie."

The last girl appeared to be just a shy and anxious as Luci was. "And I'm Isabelle," she said.

Luci managed a small smile at every single one in the group. But as she turned to meet Vincent, she could already tell that he was the only one who was not happy to see her.

"Don't mind that sourpuss," Francois said, placing a friendly arm around Luci's shoulders. "Vincent was never the kind of guy to properly greet a lady. As a matter of fact, he's not much of the polite type anyway."

"Oh, shut up!" Vincent blurted, finally moving away from his place against the wall. "What were you expecting me to do? Grovel on my knees and worship her? Bah! She's just a nobody. How can you already place so much faith in a girl you don't even know? It's ridiculous! All of you are ridiculous! This isn't a revolutionary group! It's a circus! And unless we do something right now, count me out!"

Now it was Adrien's turn to turn on Vincent. "You keep your mouth shut!" he said in Luci's defense. "How dare you insult each and every one of us! How dare you insult the children of the men whom your father fought alongside and died with! How dare you call us ridiculous! We are _Les Enfants de l'ABC_, and you, _Monsieur_, better start acting like you're part of the group since you were among the first to join in the first place."

Everything then became silent, and the tension between the two young boys seemed to be the only thing slicing through that tension. Just when Luci thought she couldn't take anymore, Jean-Claude finally decided to step in.

"If you two are done talking amongst yourselves, I think it's about time we get down to business." He then gestured to Francois.

Francois nodded in reply. "Thank you," he said with a sigh of relief. "Well, now that most of us are here, we can get down to business."

"Wait a second," Jean-Claude interrupted. "What do you mean 'most of us?' Where's Marcus?"

Everyone fell silent again as they all exchanged nervous glances with one another.

Francois cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, the son of Marius and Cosette Pontmercy was not home. He was away on a business trip for his internship, but he should be back sometime tomorrow."

Luci's mind began to drift away from the conversation. _Marius… Where have I heard that name before?_

"I say we wait for Marcus," Gabrielle suggested, standing up from her place at the table. "It will be much better if all of us are gathered her at the same time."

"Unfortunately, we cannot wait any longer to take action," Adrien said. "After our encounter with Inspector Jean-Pierre earlier today, we're not sure how much longer the people can wait. It would be best to rally them up as soon as we can."

"For once, I agree with the idiot," Vincent added.

Adrien burned his eyes into Vincent's before turning his attention back to the others.

"I think it should be up to Lucille to decide," Emilie said, turning to Luci with a smile. "She's the one who's supposed to lead us after all."

Luci could feel her stomach churning as all eyes turned on her. Nervously, she wrung her hands through her hair, unsure of what do to.

"Now, now, let's not immediately put pressure on the poor girl," Jean-Claude said. "She only just arrived."

Francois let out a deep sigh. "Even though there are good points on both sides, I'll have to go with the majority on this and say that we should definitely wait for Marcus. Without his influence, this group is merely nothing but a group of children looking to cause trouble. We need all the brains we can find."

Catherine shivered at the thought of actual brains.

Francois noticed. "Oh, sorry about that."

Catherine only cleared her throat and regained her composure.

"Then it's settled," Adrien added. "Gabrielle, I shall leave it to you to retrieve Marcus."

Gabrielle smiled. "Consider it done." She then turned to Luci and added, "And you, Lucille, can come along with me. It'll be fun!"

Luci couldn't help but smile back. "I think I will," she replied. "And please…call me Luci."

Gabrielle placed a reassuring hand on Luci's shoulder. "Welcome, Luci."

Jean-Claude grinned at the sight of the group finally coming together, almost complete.

"This is more like it," he thought out loud. "Now we are _Les Enfants de l'ABC_."


End file.
